Author Websites With Discussion/Activity Guides

Many authors’ websites contain discussion or activity guides for use in the classroom, media center and book clubs. Listed below are just some of them. Check back again as this list will continue to grow.

Laurie Halse Anderson:www.writerlady.com Includes discussion questions for her historical novels “Chains” and “Fever 1793” as well as excellent historical links.

New! Gary D. Schmidt: Resource page offers links to an educator’s guide for Okay for Now and a webcast from New York Public Library in which Gary talks about how he incorporated the extraordinary story of John James Audubon’s plates from his famous book, Birds of America.

9 responses to “Author Websites With Discussion/Activity Guides”

My name is Josh and I am 10. I liked The Crystal Navigator because the kids in it are smart and it had cool things in it like scientific gadgets. It’s a smart story about time travel and art. I would like the author to come talk to m y school. Wilbur the . Magic dog is the best. Lots of kid’s books are dumb but this one isn’t. You will learn a lot if you read it.

Nancy Kunhardt Lodge’s website is nancylodge.com. For school visits, there is a contact form. My children are 15 and 17, girl and boy, and I can tell you they loved this book. A good book is for all ages. There are some priceless comments by children on Her Facebook page and on the Kid Literature Author Site which gave The Crystal Navigator a fantastic review.

Please put Nancy Kunhardt Lodge, author of the new middle grade book, The Crystal Navigator, on this list. I gave it to my daughter and she devoured it. She made me write to Professor Lodge to ask her when he next book will be out. The author uses a great fantasy adventure with fascinating information about artists, to address adolescent issues of the fear of making a mistake, being wrong, not fitting in and one little girl’s triumph over them. We could all use a Wise One like Wilbur, who guides Lucy as she navigates the difficult quest to find her self confidence. I have recommended the book to my dayghter’s school librarian. I was delighted to find it is already in our pub,ic library.

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This is a wonderful list, and a good study guide for authors as we put together resources for teachers and our readers. I would love to have my website added to this list–it includes discussion questions for each chapter of “A Girl Called Problem,” educational videos, author photos from Tanzania, and suggestions for further reading and action.

OhMG! News

Nov 16, 2016:John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, & Nate Powell (Artist) won the National Book Award for Young People's Literature for March: Book Three (Top Shelf Productions / IDW Publishing). Learn more here.

March 13, 2016:Tonya Bolden Wins Nonfiction Award
Tonya Bolden has received this year's Children's Book Guild Nonfiction Award. Bolden has written twenty-seven books, many of which represent the African-American experience. Her topics include the Emancipation Proclamation, Muhammad Ali, W.E.B. DuBois, as well as little known African-Americans (Searching for Sarah Rector and Maritcha: A Nineteenth-Century American Girl).
The event honoring Bolden will take place on Saturday, April 9, 2016 at Clyde’s Restaurant of Gallery Place, 707 7th Street NW, Washington D.C. It will include lunch and a presentation by the author followed by a book sale and signing.
To learn more about Tonya Bolden and the Children’s Book Guild of Washington, D.C., and to make reservations for the event, visit childrensbookguild.org.

December 13, 2015:SCBWI Book Launch Party!
Over 30,000 book buyers have already visited the SCBWI inaugural Book Launch Party site, which debuted on Dec 1, 2015. Authors and illustrators of children's books who are members of SCBWI can announce upcoming titles through personally designed Book Launch Party pages, which include a "Buy the Book" button directing viewers to Amazon, Indie Bound and other booksellers. The next Book Launch Party will take place midyear, and will feature spring/fall 2016 titles.

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From the Mixed-Up Files is the group blog of middle-grade authors celebrating books for middle-grade readers. For anyone with a passion for children’s literature—teachers, librarians, parents, kids, writers, industry professionals— we offer regularly updated book lists organized by unique categories, author interviews, market news, and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a children's book from writing to publishing to promoting.

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In 1968, E. L. Konigsburg’s middle-grade novel, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, won the coveted Newbery Award for Excellence in American Children’s Literature.This site is named in honor of her beloved book.We hope you approve, Ms. Konigsburg.And thank you.Your book has touched generations of readers, and, if we have anything to say about it, will continue to do so for generations to come.